Page 1 Editorial: Howard Dean: One loose cannon

Manchester Union Leader ^ | December 30, 2003 | Joseph P. McQuaid - Publisher

[billorites]

IMAGINE what world terrorists must think of an America where Howard Dean is his party’s leading candidate for President. Imagine what would become of America if this man ever got to BE President.

Dean’s latest outrage takes the cake — until he says something even more idiotic. He said last week he wouldn’t want to pre-judge the guilt or innocence of Osama bin Laden, the man who has boasted of his mass murder of thousands of innocent Americans.

Bin Laden and his al-Qaida thugs must truly be encouraged that a would-be American leader could make such a ridiculous statement. That’s not good for this country. Contrast Dean’s words with those of our current President. Of bin Laden, George W. Bush has said, simply, we will take him, “dead or alive.”

That is language our enemies understand. That is why Libya’s Gadhafi has changed his tune and wants to surrender his weapons. Can anyone imagine him doing so to a President Dean?

As with many of his astonishing pronouncements, Dean has since tried to amend this one. And he has been lucky that a fawning media and hapless opponents have so far let him get away with it. But we predict that this Dr. Jekyll is going to turn into Mr. Hyde once too often and be exposed for the dangerous loose cannon that he is.

[Joe Boucher]

I just hope he can keep it somewhat together until after he gets the nomination.
I just want to see the Bush Repub machine eat this guys lunch.
Course just because he may get the nomination doesn;t necessarily mean he will be in the election race. Reference the Lautenberg affair.

[AmericaUnited]

A loose-canon nutjob like Howie will only get wackier, once he gets nominated and the pressure gets more intense. Howie has no idea what it's going to be like when the GOP's real canons open up on him. He's whining like a baby already.

[RJCogburn]

Gotta love it when McQuaid goes front page.

[leprechaun9]

"MAD COW" Dean will be purged from the process. The election will take care of that!

[governsleastgovernsbest]

I can imagine Dem TV ads around next October:

Come on, vote for Dean. Yeah, OK, he's a loose-canon nutjob, but he's our loose cannon nut job.

[onyx]

When the publisher of the Manchester Union Leader calls the frontrunner a "loose canon" how many days can Dean expect to remain in front of the others who are each calling him names of their own?

On what date is the primary held in January? For Dean's sake I hope it's mid month.

[PJ-Comix]

He said last week he wouldn’t want to pre-judge the guilt or innocence of Osama bin Laden, the man who has boasted of his mass murder of thousands of innocent Americans.

Howard Dean needs the official judgement of a court of law before he can castigate Osama bin Laden. However, no such court judgement is needed for Howie to condemn Bush.

[PJ-Comix]

On what date is the primary held in January? For Dean's sake I hope it's mid month.

Iowa caucuses are on Jan. 17 and I believe the N.H. Primary is about 10 days later. Like you I want Dean to SHUT UP before then so he won't put his foot in his mouth and risk losing these primaries.

[governsleastgovernsbest]

When the publisher of the Manchester Union Leader calls the frontrunner a "loose canon" how many days can Dean expect to remain in front?

The good news for those of us who want Dean to be the nominee [so W can chew him up] is that the Union Leader is [rightly] perceived as such a conservative newspaper that its condemnation of Dean might actually help him among liberal Dem primary voters.

Then again, I am considered that Dean's repeated bungles and deceits are starting to reach critical mass, even among Dems who love to hate W.

[onyx]

By the end of January he might implode. The guy is so arrogant he'll just keep mouthing off.

At least he's supplying the GOP with plenty of ammo to fire back at him.

[Quix]

TREACHEROUS, TRAITOROUS, ARROGANT IDIOT.

[onyx]

I've been pulling for Dean since he announced and he'd best not disappoint too early on.

Some media outlets seem to be piling on him and that makes me nervous. They're catching on that he's radio-active and I don't want his train to wreck until after he wins the nomination.

[MizzouTigerRepublican]

I too hope that he can hold off with his stupid comments until he soaks up the nomination. The real Howie can go back to making off the cuff stupid remarks again so we Dubya can ruin this guys political career forever in November.

[Bob Eimiller]

What does the Dean "juggernaut" in the 'RAT primary race tell you about how dangerous the "RATS" are to American Security.

Far left Democrats appear to be the "kissin' cousins" of the Bolsheviks before the Russian Revolution of the early 1900's....

I'm sure cloning didn't exist about 50 or so years ago when DEAN was born.. but doesn't he resemble LENIN? Especially the eyes. Put Lenin's beard on him... scary stuff.

[rabidralph]

At this rate, I am anticipating Dean trying to start a fistfight with the president at their first debate.

[TheGeezer]

January 30, I think. Iowa is the 19th.

[TheGeezer]

I stand corrected: New Hampshire primary is January 27.

[JLAGRAYFOX]

Any objective person in their right mind would come to the conclusion that Howard Dean is not only a loose cannon, but would put the USA in a position where we would be attacked by our enemies, the Muslim terrorists. The idiot does not have a clue, whether it is the economy, religion, security, foreign policy, etc. What really scares me is that so many American left-wing, America hating, liberals are following and supporting this moron! I guess they must have all blocked out 911 from their minds. It seems a good number of Americans just don't get it, and that is really frightening. It is my fondest hope that the current Democrat Party be soundly destroyed at the ballot box next year! An elected Howard Dean would destroy our country, our freedom, our liberty and our way of life! I suggest that, we the people, get behind GW Bush with our money, our time and our votes and rid our great country of this "traitor/treason", 911 causing Democrat Party!